How I Fought a Fire Hydrant Parking Ticket and Won

How to beat a fire hydrant parking ticket

An NYC fire hydrant parking ticket is one of the quintessential parking tickets of all times. Battle-scarred residents of New York City always insist that they parked their chariots more than fifteen feet from the hydrant. While myriad visitors to our fair city lament that they didn’t realize there was a fifteen feet no-fly zone or there was no yellow curb.

Beating an unjust fire hydrant violation is a beautiful thing, but doesn’t come easily. You better be ready to do your homework and prepare a series of exhibits that present your story persuasively.

I’ve had a bunch of good luck battling these costly orange epistles, and I’d like to share some tips that set my clients free.

The “Place of Occurrence” is parking ticket gold

Each and every required element is important. But, there is a required element di tutti element. And that’s the place of occurrence for fire hydrant parking tickets.

I can’t tell you how many times a warrior misdescribed the location of our client’s car. By that I mean, the place of occurrence must identify a specific location that is within 15 feet from a fire hydrant. If not, you win.

Don’t waste your valuable time trying to prove you parked in a different location because a judge is not going to find your testimony persuasive in a “he-said-she-said” battle of locations. The warrior will win that fight every time.

Instead, if a warrior enters a location on your parking ticket that is not within 15 feet of a fire hydrant, make the misdescribed place of occurrence work for you. Show the judge proof that there is no fire hydrant within 15 feet.

What happens if garbage is piled on top of a fire hydrant?

How to present the proper proof properly

Your goal is to tell a parking ticket judge a story with your exhibits that persuades him that you did not park your car within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. When a judge looks at your photographs (with captions) he should feel a sense of familiarity. Just like he’s walking through the neighborhood where you parked your car.

Here’s a copy of the defense certification I presented to the judge.

Here’s an example of a series of exhibits I submitted that convinced a judge to dismiss the fire hydrant ticket.

Larry says:

Comments

I got a ticket for parking in front of a fire hydrant and the parking ticket says 6 feet. It’s actually 9 feet. I know you stress the importance of the ticket being accurate, but is this something I actually want to bring up given that I was still in violation of 15′?

Also, is raising the fact that there’s no sign as to how far you have to be a decent argument worth bringing up? I’m afraid I have to pay this ticket :/

Hi Alexia,
Kudos for trying to figure out a winning defense.
-We always have the burden of proving that we didn’t park our car within 15 feet of a fire hydrant. Not that the warrior’s guess was wrong.
-No need for a sign when it comes to fire hydrants. We are required to know how far away we must park (no painted curb necessary, either).
Keep checking! were there any omitted, misdescribed or illegible required elements?
Larry

Wait I got it! They got the address wrong. The address noted was one in front of the hydrant. But I was 9 feet from the hydrant so I wasn’t in front of that address. I’m so glad I took a picture! Do you think this will work? Will they trust that I didn’t move the car?